Most parents know it: the toy that was everything in December lies at the bottom of the box in February. The child has not been spoilt. The toy simply could not keep up.
Toys that grow with the child are toys that can be used in new ways as the child develops. They are not necessarily the most expensive or the most advanced, but the ones that leave room for more.
Three signs of a toy that lasts
- It can be expanded. If you can build on it with a new set, it is never finished.
- It can change. If it can be recoloured, rebuilt or used for something else, it follows the child's interests.
- It can take being played with. Toys that need to be protected end up on the shelf.
From first builds to whole towns
With Crateit Town you can start small, for example with a gas station or Vista Villa, and build on. The roads fit together, so the town grows one set at a time. The youngest drive the cars and say vroom. The older ones build routes, put up road signs and make up what happens at the fire station.
Rooms that can be furnished again and again
With Roomies the child furnishes small rooms. They stand side by side or on top of each other, so the house grows at the child's own pace. The furniture can be moved around, and the rooms can get new colours when tastes change.
The colour grows too
Because the toys come in bare wood, they can get new colours with the markers. A house that a three year old coloured with broad strokes can get patterns from a six year old. The same toy tells a new story.
Fewer, but better
Why do children outgrow toys?
Size is rarely the problem. Children outgrow toys when they have used them up. When every button has been pressed and every option tried, there is nothing left to discover. That happens quickly with toys that do one thing, and slowly with toys that can be rebuilt and used for something new.
Think in systems, not single items
A good tip is to choose toys that belong together. When parts from different sets fit together, each new gift becomes an extension of what the child already has, instead of another thing in the box. It also makes it easier for family and friends to choose gifts, because they can build on something familiar.
Crateit Town and Roomies are built this way. The town grows with new roads and buildings, and the house grows with new rooms. The child decides the order.
Store, rotate and bring out again
Even good toys can take a break. Many families have good experiences with putting some of the toys away for a few weeks and bringing them out again. Then they feel new, and the child often discovers new ways to play, because they have developed in the meantime.
Let the child help choose
When the child is old enough, let them help decide what the town or the house should get next. Should there be a police station or a roundabout? A kitchen or an office? It gives ownership, and it makes the waiting part of the fun.
When the toys move on
Even toys that grow with the child are put away one day. Toys made to be taken apart and built again are easy to store and pass on to siblings, cousins or the next generation. And because they can be coloured again, the next child can make them their own.
Toys that grow with the child are also about having less. A few good things that can be used in many ways take up less space and give more play than a whole box of things that can only do one thing. It is also a good thought to keep in mind when writing wish lists. See for example our Christmas gift guide.
Frequently asked questions
What are toys that grow with the child?
They are toys that can be used in new ways as the child develops, because they can be expanded, rebuilt or coloured again.
How do you stop toys from being forgotten?
Choose toys that belong together, so new gifts build on the old ones, and put some away for a while, so they feel new when they come out again.
Can Crateit Town and Roomies be expanded?
Yes. The town grows with new roads and buildings, and the house grows with new rooms that stand side by side or on top of each other.
